For most people with breast cancer, surgery happens before any other treatment. During surgery, cancerous tissue in the breast is removed. Surgeons also look to see if lymph nodes in the armpit have been affected. If they have, these are removed too.
Many women have a process called wide local excision, or a lumpectomy, which is a breast conserving surgery. This is where just the lump itself and surrounding tissue are removed, leaving the breast in place.
Other women, however, will need to have the whole breast removed in an operation known as a mastectomy.
Men, in most cases, have a mastectomy and women can choose to have one if they prefer it to a lumpectomy.
Pre-surgery therapies
For large breast tumours, your specialist may prescribe chemotherapy or hormone therapy prior to surgery. Known as neoadjuvant therapies, these can shrink the tumour and increase the chances of successful surgery. They could, in some cases, reduce the tumour to a size that enables you to have breast conserving surgery instead of a mastectomy.
Ask your surgeon to talk you through the pros and cons of the different types of surgery and help you decide what’s right for you.
For details on what to expect after surgery visit the Breast Cancer Care website.
